The Gossip Girl Star Evan Peters Went To School With
Everybody looks back at their high school experience differently. Whether it's the football quarterback reminiscing on his glory days or the former dweeb-turned-heartthrob lamenting on their cringeworthy past, high school marks a definitive coming-of-age point for all who roam the sacred halls. And whether you were a jock, a nerd, or someone in between, there was one universal reality about high school: no one could escape the social hierarchy — not even Evan Peters.
We've said it time and time again, but Evan Peters is an absolute heartthrob. The "American Horror Story" stalwart not only made his name through his stellar performances in the series but also with his youthful good looks and charming personality. But even with all his talent and handsome face, Peters struggled to climb the social ranks in high school. On top of that, he was not the only future star that attended California's Burbank High.
In fact, this mystery star ascended the social ranks of Burbank High and amassed numerous accolades before heading off to Tinseltown to achieve inevitable superstardom. So who exactly is this other star that attended high school with Evan Peters, you ask? Read on to find out!
Evan Peters attended high school with Blake Lively
Who would have thought that Evan Peters and Blake Lively attended high school together?! Just imagine: Burbank High was the breeding ground for cultural landmarks like the "American Horror Story" and "Gossip Girl" franchises — what an elite school! In an interview for Hero Magazine, Peters discussed his high school run and made the shocking revelation regarding Lively, noting that she was "one of the hot, popular girls."
In the interview, Peters noted that he "actually really loved school ... the social aspect of school, [and] being trapped in this place together and kind of forced to be social." Later on, he opined about the "dual life" he led as an actor and student. "I booked one of my first commercials ... and then I went to school and people had seen it and were like, 'Oh, man, you're that guy in that commercial,'" he revealed, reflecting that he "was always kind of embarrassed to be an actor" at the time.
When Franco asked if other actors attended Burbank High, Peters revealed that Lively "definitely was there." Peters did not remember what grade she was in nor did he remember if she was acting then, but he recalled: "[Y]ears later Blake Lively is blowing up and it was a shock." And interestingly enough, Lively "was class president, on the cheerleading squad, in a competitive show choir, and in, like, six different clubs" during her time at Burbank High, as she told Cosmopolitan.
Meanwhile, Evan Peters was not popular in high school
Though Evan Peters has the good looks, the talent, and all the intangibles to propel himself to the top of the social mountain, the actor actually floundered a bit when it came to achieving popularity. "There's also a strange hierarchy that you can choose to be a part of," Peters told James Franco for Hero Magazine. And when Franco asked Peters what crowd he got involved with, the actor painted a verbal picture of dudes being friends, friends being guys, and guys being dudes.
"I was kind of on the outside, you know?" Peters lamented. "Second floor video games, guitar playing guys. Those were my guys, the not so popular ones. But we had a blast," he further noted. We can totally see Peters gaming now. In fact, it's on camera — just check out this hilarious commercial for the 2002 video game "ATV Offroad Fury 2," featuring Peters getting whopped in-game by a clown (which he would later revisit in "Freak Show..."). Oh, the innocent glory of the early 2000s!